Two-dimensional flag-transitive planes revisited

This paper shows that the odd order two-dimensional flag-transitive planes constructed by Kantor-Suetake constitute the same family of planes as those constructed by Baker-Ebert. Moreover, for orders satisfying a modest number theoretical assumption this family consists of all possible such planes of that order. In particular, it is shown that the number of isomorphism classes of (non-Desarguesian) two-dimensional flag-transitive affine planes of order q ² is precisely (q–1)/2 when q is an odd prime and precisely (q–1)/2e when q=p ^e is an odd prime power with exponent e that is a power of 2. An enumeration is given in other cases that uses the Möbius inversion formula.This work was partially supported by NSA grant MDA 904-95-H-1013.This work was partially supported by NSA grant MDA 904-94-H-2033.     

A geometric construction of a class of twisted field planes by Ree-Tits unitals

We investigate the intersection pattern of Ree-Tits unitals in the split Cayley HexagonH (q) associated to Dickson's groupG ₂ (q). Using these patterns, we are able to define an incidence geometry which turns out to be a twisted field plane of order 3^2h+1, non-Desarguesian ifh 0. We also show that a general point of the underlying generalized hexagon defines an oval in .Dedicated to H. Reiner Salzmann for his sixtieth birthdayThe second author is Senior Research Associate of the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium)     

Some New Maximal Sets of Mutually Orthogonal Latin Squares

Two ways of constructing maximal sets of mutually orthogonal Latin squares are presented. The first construction uses maximal partial spreads in PG(3, 4) \ PG(3, 2) with r lines, where r ∈ {6, 7}, to construct transversal-free translation nets of order 16 and degree r + 3 and hence maximal sets of r + 1 mutually orthogonal Latin squares of order 16. Thus sets of t MAXMOLS(16) are obtained for two previously open cases, namely for t = 7 and t = 8. The second one uses the (non)existence of spreads and ovoids of hyperbolic quadrics Q ⁺ (2m + 1, q), and yields infinite classes of q ^{2n ? 1} ? 1 MAXMOLS(q ²ⁿ ), for n ≥ 2 and q a power of two, and for n = 2 and q a power of three.     

An extension of Bruen chains

One way to obtain a new non-Desarguesian translation plane is by constructing a new spread that is not subregular. Chains of reguli in a regular spread of PG(3,q) were first introduced by Bruen as a method of obtaining a non-subregular spread. In this paper, we shall extend Bruen's notion of a chain of reguli. Let Ω be a regular spead of PG(3,q). A collection of reguli in Ω such that every line of Ω is contained in exactly none or two of these reguli will be called anest of reguli. Let γ be the spread obtained by replacing in Ω the lines of the nest with the lines of some other partial spread of PG(3,q) covering the same points. We shall show that in the case where the number of reguli in the nest is no more thanq, γ is not subregular and its full collineation group is the inherited group.     

Non-classical polar unitals in finite Figueroa planes

The finite Figueroa planes are non-Desarguesian projective planes of order q ³ for all prime powers q > 2. These planes were constructed algebraically in 1982 by Figueroa, and Hering and Schaeffer, and synthetically in 1986 by Grundh?fer. All Figueroa planes of finite square order are shown to possess a unitary polarity by de Resmini and Hamilton in 1998, and hence admit unitals. Using the result of O??Nan in 1971 on the non-existence of his configuration in a classical unital, and the intrinsic characterization by Taylor in 1974 of the notion of perpendicularity induced by a unitary polarity in the classical plane (introduced by Dembowski and Hughes in 1965), we show that these Figueroa polar unitals do not satisfy a necessary condition, introduced by Wilbrink in 1983, for a unitary block design to be classical, and hence they are not classical.     

Sur les fonctions entièresq-arithmétiques

Letq ɛ Z, |q|>1. In this paper, we study entire functions of a complex variable such thatf(q ^n+m)≡f(qⁿ) (modq ^m-1), ∀n ɛ N andm>0. We prove that iff is of sufficiently small growth, then it is a polynomial.      

New inductive constructions of complete caps in PG(N,q), q even

Some new families of small complete caps in PG(N, q), q even, are described. By using inductive arguments, the problem of the construction of small complete caps in projective spaces of arbitrary dimensions is reduced to the same problem in the plane. The caps constructed in this article provide an improvement on the currently known upper bounds on the size of the smallest complete cap in PG(N, q), N≥4, for all q≥2³. In particular, substantial improvements are obtained for infinite values of q square, including q=2^2Cm, C≥5, m≥3; for q=2^Cm, C≥5, m≥9, with C, m odd; and for all q≤2¹⁸. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 177–201, 2010     

Maximal partial ovoids and maximal partial spreads in hermitian generalized quadrangles

Maximal partial ovoids and maximal partial spreads of the hermitian generalized quadrangles H(3,q²) and H(4,q²) are studied in great detail. We present improved lower bounds on the size of maximal partial ovoids and maximal partial spreads in the hermitian quadrangle H(4,q²). We also construct in H(3,q²), q=2^2h+1, h≥ 1, maximal partial spreads of size smaller than the size q²+1 presently known. As a final result, we present a discrete spectrum result for the deficiencies of maximal partial spreads of H(4,q²) of small positive deficiency δ. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 16: 101–116, 2008     

Empirical multifractal moment measures of self-similar measure for q < 0*

For q ≥ 0, Olsen [1] has attained the exact rate of convergence of the L ^q -spectrum of a self-similar measure and showed that the so-called empirical multifractal moment measures converges weakly to the normalized multifractal measures. Unfortunately, nothing is known for q < 0. Indeed, the problem of analysing the L ^q - spectrum for q < 0 is generally considered significantly more difficult since the L ^q -spectrum is extremely sensitive to small variations of μ for q < 0. In [2] we showed that self-similar measures satisfying the Open Set Condition (OSC) are Ahlfors regular and, using this fact, we obtained the exact rate of convergence of the L ^q -spectrum of a self-similar measure satisfying the OSC for q < 0. In this paper, we apply the results from [2] to show the empirical multifractal q’th moment measures of self-similar measures satisfying the OSC converges weakly to the normalized multifractal Hausdorff measures for q < 0.     

Directional maximal operators with smooth densities

We study directional maximal operators on ?ⁿ with smooth densities. We prove that if the classical directional maximal operator in a given set of directions is weak type (1, 1), then the corresponding smooth‐density maximal operator in that set of directions will be bounded on L^q for q suitably large, depending on the order of the stationary points of the density function. In contrast to the classical case, if q is too small, the smooth density operator need not be bounded on L^q. Improving upon previously known results, we also establish that if the density function has only finitely many extreme points, each of finite order, then any maximal operator in a finite sum of diadic directions is bounded on all L^q for q > 1 (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the distribution of points in orbits of PGL(2,q) acting on GF(q)

We prove results on the distribution of points in an orbit of PGL(2,q) acting on an element of GF(qⁿ). These results support a conjecture of Klapper. More precisely, we show that the points in an orbit are uniformly distributed if n is small with respect to q.     

The Insecurity of the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm with Partially Known Nonces

Nguyen and Shparlinski have recently presented a polynomial-time algorithm that provably recovers the signer's secret DSA key when a few consecutive bits of the random nonces k (used at each signature generation) are known for a number of DSA signatures at most linear in log q (q denoting as usual the small prime of DSA), under a reasonable assumption on the hash function used in DSA. The number of required bits is about log ^1/2 q, but can be decreased to log log q with a running time q ^{O(1/log log q)} subexponential in log q, and even further to two in polynomial time if one assumes access to ideal lattice basis reduction, namely an oracle for the lattice closest vector problem for the infinity norm. All previously known results were only heuristic, including those of Howgrave-Graham and Smart who introduced the topic. Here, we obtain similar results for the elliptic curve variant of DSA (ECDSA).     

Lower bounds for adaptive locally decodable codes

An error‐correcting code is said to be locally decodable if a randomized algorithm can recover any single bit of a message by reading only a small number of symbols of a possibly corrupted encoding of the message. Katz and Trevisan 12 showed that any such code C : {0, 1}ⁿ → Σ^m with a decoding algorithm that makes at most q probes must satisfy m = Ω((n/log |Σ|)^q/(q?1)). They assumed that the decoding algorithm is non‐adaptive, and left open the question of proving similar bounds for adaptive decoders. We show m = Ω((n/log |Σ|)^q/(q?1)) without assuming that the decoder is nonadaptive. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2005     

Empirical multifractal moment measures of self-similar measure for <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis> < 0<Superscript>*</Superscript>

For q ≥ 0, Olsen [1] has attained the exact rate of convergence of the L ^q -spectrum of a self-similar measure and showed that the so-called empirical multifractal moment measures converges weakly to the normalized multifractal measures. Unfortunately, nothing is known for q < 0. Indeed, the problem of analysing the L ^q - spectrum for q < 0 is generally considered significantly more difficult since the L ^q -spectrum is extremely sensitive to small variations of μ for q < 0. In [2] we showed that self-similar measures satisfying the Open Set Condition (OSC) are Ahlfors regular and, using this fact, we obtained the exact rate of convergence of the L ^q -spectrum of a self-similar measure satisfying the OSC for q < 0. In this paper, we apply the results from [2] to show the empirical multifractal q’th moment measures of self-similar measures satisfying the OSC converges weakly to the normalized multifractal Hausdorff measures for q < 0. Authors’ addresses: Jiaqing Xiao, School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; Wu Min, School of Mathematical Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China     

A Characterization of the Complement of a Hyperbolic Quadric in PG (3, q), for q Odd

The incidence structure NQ⁺(3, q) has points the points not on a non-degenerate hyperbolic quadric Q⁺(3, q) in PG(3, q), and its lines are the lines of PG(3, q) not containing a point of Q⁺(3, q). It is easy to show that NQ⁺(3, q) is a partial linear space of order (q, q(q−1)/2). If q is odd, then moreover NQ⁺(3, q) satisfies the property that for each non-incident point line pair (x,L), there are either (q−1)/2 or (q+1)/2 points incident with L that are collinear with x. A partial linear space of order (s, t) satisfying this property is called a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry. In this paper, we will prove the following characterization of NQ⁺(3,q). Let S be a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry fully embedded in PG(n, q), for q odd and q>3. Then S = NQ⁺(3, q).     

Rational Functions and Association Scheme Parameters

The parameters of metric, cometric, symmetric association schemes with q ± 1 (the same as the parameters of the underlying orthogonal polynomials) can be given in general by evaluating a single rational function of degree (4, 4) in the complex variable q ^j. But in all known examples, save the simple n-gons, these reduce to polynomials of degree at most 2 in q ^j with q an integer. One reason this occurs is that the rational function can have singularities at points which would determine some of the parameters. This paper deals with the case in which not all of the singularities are removable, thus giving some reason why the n-gons might naturally be the only exceptions to schemes with parameters being polynomials of degree at most 2 in q ^j , except possibly for schemes of very small diameter.     

Flocks and ovals

An infinite family of q-clans, called the Subiaco q-clans, is constructed for q=2^e. Associated with these q-clans are flocks of quadratic cones, elation generalized quadrangles of order (q ², q), ovals of PG(2, q) and translation planes of order q ² with kernel GF(q). It is also shown that a q-clan, for q=2^e, is equivalent to a certain configuration of q+1 ovals of PG(2, q), called a herd.W. Cherowitzo gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Research Council and has the deepest gratitude and warmest regards for the Combinatorial Computing Research Group at the University of Western Australia for their congenial hospitality and moral support. I. Pinneri gratefully acknowledges the support of a University of Western Australia Research Scholarship.     

On a Decomposition of Complete Graphs

It is shown, among other results, that for any prime power q, the complete graph on 1+q+q ²+q ³ vertices can be decomposed into a union of 1+q Siamese Strongly Regular Graphs S R G(1+q+q ²+q ³,q+q ²,q–1,q+1) sharing 1+q ² cliques of size 1+q. Acknowledgments.The authors are indebted to a referee for a very extensive report and for many suggestions which improved the presentation of the paper tremendously.AMS Subject Numbers: 05B05, 05B20, 05E30This work was completed while the first author was on sabbatical leave visiting Institute for studies in theoretical Physics and Mathematics, (IPM), in Tehran, Iran. Support and hospitality is appreciated. Supported by an NSERC operating grant.     

Tightening Turyn’s bound for Hadamard difference sets

This work examines the existence of (4q ²,2q ²−q,q ²−q) difference sets, for q=p ^f , where p is a prime and f is a positive integer. Suppose that G is a group of order 4q ² which has a normal subgroup K of order q such that G/K ≅ C _q ×C ₂×C ₂, where C _q ,C ₂ are the cyclic groups of order q and 2 respectively. Under the assumption that p is greater than or equal to 5, this work shows that G does not admit (4q ²,2q ²−q,q ²−q) difference sets.     

Nonexistence of [n, 5, d]q Codes Attaining the Griesmer Bound for q4 ?2q2 ?2q+1 ≤ d≤ q4?2q2 ?q

We prove that there does not exist a [q⁴+q³−q²−3q−1, 5, q⁴−2q²−2q+1]_q code over the finite field for q≥ 5. Using this, we prove that there does not exist a [g_q(5, d), 5, d]_q code with q⁴ −2q² −2q +1 ≤ d ≤ q⁴ −2q² −q for q≥ 5, where g_q(k,d) denotes the Griesmer bound.MSC 2000: 94B65, 94B05, 51E20, 05B25